ABANYALA BA KAKAMEGA: Language 2- Intensifying Ideophones.

Olunyala (K) is a dialect of Luhya language spoken by the Abanyala in Kakamega. It is internationally coded as ISO 939-3 nle.

Unlike English or Kiswahili, Olunyala (K) has a number of intensifying ideophones or intensifying particles. These are ideophones or particles which combine with adjectives, nouns and verbs to intensify their meanings.

A) Main intensifying ideophones in Olunyala (K)

1. ~mwikho ti (titititi)- to be a real blood or very close relative. Example: Natecho senge wange titititi- Natecho is my real aunt.
2. ~mulina te (tetetete) To relate cordially or with close affection.
3. ~nyingi muno (munomunomuno)- to be of extreme quantity. Example: Abanyala bangi munomunomunomuno- Abanyala are extremely many.
4. ~khale khale (khalekhalekhale)- to be of extreme past. Example: Nambirifuma kechulisise omusango omukhale khalekhalekhale- Namburifuma ha reminded us of a crime of extreme past.
5. ~yakha ng'a- extremely new. Example: Endika embiakha ng'a ng'a ng'a ng'a.
6. Mulembe mia (miamiamia)
7. Mulembe swa (swaswaswaswa)
8. Mulembe te (tetetete)
9. Okhubala pye (pyepyepyepye)- to be extremely hot. Example: Owusuma wu balire pyepyepyepye- The Ugali is extremely hot.
10. Okhubehya pere (pereperepere)- to cheat completetly or have a lot of lies.  Nesuhu mubehyi pereperepere- Nalesuhu is a perenial liar.
11. Okhubesema pe (pepepepe)- to be extremely white. Example: Endika eyo embesemu pepepepe- That bicycle is extremely red.
12. Okhubisiala pwoki (pwokipwokipwoki)- to be extremely raw. Example: Epwoni elio ebisi pwokipwokipwoko- That potato is extremely row.
13. Okhuchabalia chabalia (chabaliachabalia)- to be with thin mud layer and flooded completely. Example: Amayoyo kachabalisisie etiba chabaliachabalia- The ducks have mud-flooded the pond completely.
14. Okhuchabirisa chabi (chabichabichabi)- to ambush completely. Example: Khuli okhuchabirisa endiasi chabichabichabi- We shall compcambushletely ambush the criminal.
15. Okhuchanakana tulu (tulutulutulu)- to go on full time. Example: Khuli okhukhina esiro tulutulutulu- We will dance the whole night.
16. Okhuchalukha chalu (chaluchaluchalu)- to stop completely. Example: Bobo kachalukha okhununa chaluchaluchalu- Bobo stopped suckling completely.
17. Okhuchinchivya nchi (nchinchinchinchi)- To make it completely watery and testless. Tundwe achinchibisisye omunyu mu mung'etu nchinchinchinchi- Tundwe has made the soup completely saltless and watery.
18. Okhufuchikha fuchi (fuchifuchifuchi)- to be extemely soiled. Example: Esinyasa esio siafuchikha fuchifuchifuchi- That short is completely soiled.
19. Okhuchania pere (pereperepere)- to keep provoking extremely. Example: Kubi achanisye mulamung'ene pereperepere- Kubi has extremely provoked his sister-in-law.
20. Okhuchinchiiba tiekhe (tiekhetiekhetiwkhe)- to go extremely watery and testless. Example: Kuno nokwo kwachinchibakho tiekhetiekhetiekhe- This one is extremely watery.
21. Okhuchiima chimo (chimochimochimo)- to be extinguished or deserted completely. Example: Omuliro kusimire wusa chichichichi-'The fire is completely extinguished.
22. Okhuchirisia chiri (chirichirichiri)- to eject out liquid by force completely. Example: Liaka ochirisisie amache khu lwaakho- Liaka has forcefully ejected saliva towards the boundary.
23. Okhuchokhona chokho (chokhochokhochokho)- to make it completely hollow. Example: Embeba chichokhonire enduma chokhochokhochokho- Rats have made the arrow-root completely hollow.
24. Okhochoniofula chio (chiochiochiochio)- to analyse completely.
25. Okhuchololokha cholo (cholochocholo)- to completely slink or slither away. Example: Enjukha yichololokhire cholocholocholo- The snake completely slithered away.
26. Okhuchukania choki (chokichokichoki)- to mix completely. Example: Omwana achukanisie omukhunye nende owusera chokichoki- The child has mixed mashed potatoes and porridge completely.
27. Okhichukhulula chulululu (chululuchululu)- To pour of water slowly bt slowly completely.
28. Okhuchwenukha chwe (chechwechwe)- to be extremely clean. Nanyama kokire omwana kachwenukha chwechwechwechwe- Nanjala washed the child to be extremely clean.
29. Okhuchwisa chwi (chwichwichwi)- to make it extremely tight. Namusia obohire omukoye kachwisa chwichwichwi- Namusia tight the rope to be extremely tight.
30. Okhufucha ptsu (ptsuptsutsu)- to spit out completely. Example: Namukhokhome kwafucha esa ptsuptsutsutsu- The gecko spit out the caterpillar completely.
31. Okhufuwukha fuwu (fuwufuwufuwu)- to shed off the top skin or nails completely. Example: Ekhongocha lifuwukhire amateche fuwufuwufuwu- The kite has shed off it tolons completely.
32. Okhufunikha pitya (pityapityapitya)- to split into two completely. Example: Wanimo afinakire embusi okhulenge pityapityapitya- Wanimo has completely broken the goat's leg.
33. Okhufula fuli (fulifulifuli)- to overflow completely. 
34. Okhufukhula fukhu (fukhufukhufukhu)- to dig inside out completely. Example: Efukho yofukhuye esipwoni fukhufukhufukhu- A mole dug the potato plantation inside out completely.
35. Okhufutukha futu (futufutufutu)- to be pierced and be made extremely hollow from side to side. Example: Ewa lifutuye omupira futufutufutu- The thorn comcopiercedpletely pierced the ball.
36. Okhufwa fwi (fwifwifwi)- to be comfirmed as dead completely. Example: Embwa yifwiye fwifwifwifwi- the dog is completely dead.
37. Okhufwa fwo (fwofwofwofwo)- to be unconcious completely or to become numb completely. Example: Okhukulu khufwiye amanakasi fwofwofwofwo- The leg is completely numb.
38. Okhufwakhafwakha fwakhiri (fwakhirifwakhiri)- to walk in an extreme noisy way. Example: Njanu ofwakhafwakha fwakhirifwakhiri mu mikachi- Who is walking in an extremely noisy manner in the sugercane?
39. Okhufwanana kuru (kurukurukuru)- to look completely alike.
40. Okhuhalaba pye (pyepyeyeye)- to be completely fierce.
41. Okhuhofula timbo (tombotimbotimbo)- to turn completelt blind.
42. Okhuholera tsi (tsitsitsitsi)- to be completely quiety. The 'tsi' is only comon among old Abanyala. The new generation has replaced the 'ts' with 'ch' as heard in words such as omunchu (for a person) instead of the original right one omuntsu.
43. Okhuholera chi (chichichichi)- to be completely quiet.
44. Okhukatukha katu (katukatukatu)- to stop raining completely.
45. Okhukhaya khaba (khabakhabakhaba)- to refuse completely. Omukhana akhayire wusa khabakhabakhaba- A girl has completely refusd
46. Okhukhalikha chaki (chakichakichaki)- to break completely when dry.
47. [Taboo] Okhukhunda chokho (chokhochokhochokho)- to play sex completely.
48. Okhukoyana koyi (koyikoyikoyi)- to be completely confused.
49. Okhukutukha kutu (kutukutukutu)- to snap completely by itself.
50. Okhukocha kochokochokocho- to get lost completely.
51. Okhukhoma ngi (ngingingingi)- to nail completely.
52. Okhukhomekha ndindindindi- to lock completely.
53. Okhukhonokha koto (kotokotokoto)-
54. Okhukitula kitu (kitukitukitu)- to cause something to snap completely.
55. Okhukopola kopo (kopokopokopo)- to drink auickly and completely. Example: Wechoka akopoye amalwa kopokopokopo- Wechoka has completely drank the alcohol very fast.
56. Okhulaba pe (pepepepe)- to be cpmpletely ripe.
57. Okhulafuwa chwe (chwechwechwechwe)- to be extremely white. Example: Engokho endafu chwechwechwe- The chicken is very white.
58. Okhulerukha biru (birubirubirubiru)- to be on move from place to place every time.
59. Okhulula pye (pyepyepyepye)- to be very bitter
60. Okhumala syo (syosyosyosyo)- to complete completely
61. Okhumala kuru (kurukurukuru)- to finish completely
62. Okhumalakasia fwaa (fwaafwaafwaafwaa)- to buldoze over completely.
63. Okhumaliya ti (titititi) - to be extremely black.
64. Okhumalia ti (tititititi)- to be extremely dirty.
65. Okhumalia ti (titititi)- to be extremely dark green.
66. Okhumalirikha khoto (khotokhotokhoto)- to be the extreme last.
67. Okhumema mie (miemiemie)- to be extremely shape.
68. Okhumikhula mikhu (mikhumikhumikhu)- to make miss completely.
69. Okhung'eng'era ng'e (ng'eng'eng'eng'e)- to be completely blazing
70. Okhunyekenya chechecheche- to drizzle for a long time. Example: Efula inyekenyire okhuchula musichiambo okhwola mu mawiwi- The rain drizzled very much from early evening to early morning 
71. Okhunyika ka (kakakaka)- to be very tight.
72. Okhumocha chiochiochio-
73. Okhumwemwenda mwe (mwemwemwemwe)- to glow very dimly.
74. Okhunyalusia nyalu (nyalunyalunyalu)- to crash and smash completely. Example: Esenire enguwa yanyalukha nyalunyalu- I stepped on the tick smashing it completely.
75. Okhupakhala tumbe (tumbetumbetumbe- to be completely flooded. Example: Omwalo kwali kupakhaye tumbetumbetube- The river was completely flooded.
76. Okhupobokha pobo (pobopobopobo)- to collapse in completely.
77. Okhupotokha poto (potopotopoto)- to snap off completely.
78. Okhupungulikha pungulyu (pungulyupungulyu)- to make things to fall with extreme cocophony.
79. Okhusasakukha chaki (chakichakichaki)-
80. Okhusia sie (siesisiesie)- to be completely in the morning. 
81. Okhusima simo (simosimosimo)- to have heat or light extinguished completely. Example: Esieri sisimisie owulafu wa omwesi simosimosimo- The eclipse has completely extinguished the moon's light.
82. Okhutieketia tyekityekityeki- to be extremely soggy
83. Okhutimba timbo (timbotimbotimbo)- to close and fail to see completely.
84. Okhutimbukha timbutimbutimbu-
85. Okhutinya nga (nganganganga)- to be extremely hard.
86. Okhutieembukha tiembutiembutiembu-
87. Okhututuma tutu (tutututututu)- to blaze completely.
88. Okhutola otolootolo- to get by extrmeme means of picking. Example: Nambengere katola ekhabi otolootolo- Nambengere got lucky completely.
89. Okhutuwukha tuwu (tuwutuwutuwu)- 
90. Okhunyicha chi (chichichichi)- to be extremely cold.
91. Okhumala chio (chiochiochiochio)- to be finished completly.
92. Okhumema mie (miemiemie)- to be extremely sharp. Example: Hakala ehaywa yimeme miemiemie- Sharpen the axe to be extremely sharp.
93. Okhumiekha mie (miemiemiemie)-to flash extremely bright. Example: Namukhira yimiekhire myemyemyemye- The shooting star flashed extremly bright.
94. Okhumirikha tipo (tipotipotipo)- to sink or submerge completely. Example: Ekina limirikhire tipotipotipo- The stone has completely submaged
95. Okhumocha mochomocho- to be a complete walk over.
96. Okhumyukha myu (myumyumyumyu)- to be extremely slippery. Example: Omuswerere kum.yukhire wusa myumyumyumyu The slide is very slippery.
97. Okhunyekenya chie (chiechiechiechie)- to drizzle for long
98. Okhutumbera tumbe (tumbetumbetumbe)- to be extremely full beyond capacity
99. Okhuwa kuru (kurukurukuru)- to be completely finished.
100. Okhuwuuna pwi (pwipwipwipwi)- to arrive very early in the morning.
101. Okhuyinga ndi (ndindindindi)- to stretch completely.
102. Okhwanguwa churu (churuchuruchuru)- to be extremely light. Amachi mangu churuchuruchuru- The water is extremely ligh.
103. Okhwepatikha ta (tatatata)- to stick on the other completely. Example: Namwaya kepatikhire khu Okana tatatata- Namaya has completely stuck on Okana.
104. Okhwetungeresa tunge (tungetungetunge or tungerere)- to stand extremely erect.
105. OKhwichula tu (tutututu)- to fill completely
106. Okhwinyokha chuli (chulichulichuli)- to wake up very early
107. Okhwipyula piu (piupiupiupiu)- to rush into very first.
108. Okhwoma ka (kakakaka)-  to be completely hard on surface.
109. Okhwoma para (paraparapara)- to be completly dry.
110. Okhwosukha tye (tyetyetyetye)- to be completely torn.

B) Other ways of intensifying.

When correlative intensifing ideophone are not used, the following general intensifiers are used.

1. The use of general intensifying ideohone 'po'.

1. Omumali titititi or omumali po- for being extremely black.
2. Okhubesema pepepepe or okhubesema po- for being extremely red.

In this case, other words without its correlating intensifying ideophone can be intensified. For example:

1. Okhukhomera po- to be extremely fat
2. Okhuchekha po- to lough excessively
3. Okhutocha po- to be extremely wet.
4. Okhunyekenya po- to drizzle very much. 

2. The use of the general intensifying ideophone '~a pwe.'

1. Omumali titititi or omumali wa pwe for extremely black. In this case pwe is general intensifying ideophone performing the same function as titititi.
2. Omubesemu pepepepe or omubesemu wa pwe.

The use of '~a pwe' allows other words without correlating ideophones to be intensified.

1. Omung'au wa pwe- extremely thin
2. Omulehi wa pwe- extremely tall
3. Omulosi wa pwe- the most feared witch.
4. Omulianga wa pwe- the greatest of all liers.

3. The use of the intensifier ~ene '(~ene~ene~ene)
The intensifier ~ene means 'the real one or one which real quality mentioned' For example, the following shows use of ~ene in phrases.

1. Omumali tititi or omumali mwenemwenemwene- to be very black.
2. Omulafu chwechwechewe or omulafu mwenemwene - to be extremely while.
3. ~khale khalekalekgale or khale wene- to be of long time ago.

The use of ~ene makes it possible to insensify words with no correlating ideophones.

1. Omukhomefu mwene (mwenemwenemwene)- to be extremely fat
2. Omulianga mwenemwenemwene- to be a trickster to the extreme.

c) Analysis on the intensifying ideophones.
It is worth noting the following in relation to the these intensifying ideophones.

1. The intensifying ideophone will always come after the word they modify. For example, the verb 'maliyisia as maliyisia titititi (make it extremly black) or adjective 'emali' as emali titittii (possessing extreme blackness.)
2. When speaking, the ideophones are usually accompanied by tonal shift to bring out entensity or said with stress to bring out the degree of the intensity. 
3. Each of the ideophones correlates with a specific word. Thus, they are correlative intensifying ideophones. For example, in 'Emali titititi', the 'titititi' intensifies emali (black) and cannot be used on any other word unless that word semantically correlates with it. For instance, you cannot say engokhakokhe titititi (extremely grey)
4. It is common to find the intensifying ideophone used alone. This makes such ideophone to be idiomatic in nature. For example, 'Elwanyi yiri wusa emali titititi' can be said as 'Erwanyi yiri wusa titititi' to mean 'It is very dark outside.'
5. Most of the intensifying ideophobes can be reduplicated. First, the single syllable ideophones of CV or CVV or CVVV or CCV or or CCCV structures will quadriplicate. For example, ti quadriplicates to titititi'. On the other hand, double syllable ideophones only triplicate. For example, 'tipo' becomes 'tipotipotipo'. Apart from that, the triple syllable will only double. For example pakhiri becomes pakhiripakhiri. However, although there are specific fixed syllables of 'reduplication' based on the number of syllables in the ideophone root as seen herein, the speakers can break this rule by adding more syllable for exaggerative purposes. For example 'Emali titititi' can turn into 'Emali titititititiriti.'